"The villains were always ugly in books and movies. Necessarily so, it seemed. Because if they were attractive—if their looks matched their charm and their cunning—they wouldn't only be dangerous. They would be irresistible." ~Nenia Campbell
Dedicated to my actual favourite reader and follower, CimerianSparrow. The constant love and support you have for me speaks more volumes than you could ever possibly imagine. I love you so much! <3. BTW, don't tell the others you're my favorite. I'm not supposed to have them. Shhh! JK, I love all of you more than you could ever know. I'm here because of you!
Siena
I pressed the ice pack on my head once more as Dylan leaves the room. As soon as he's out of the hallway, I dropped the ice pack and bury my head in my hands. I am humiliated.
Come on. I was Black Hawk. I was smart. I was supposed to be better than this. I should have avoided the projectile. I've taken worse injuries before. And not to mention the fact Warrior had to see me that way.
It's a good thing I was leaving town, because faster this is over, I don't think I can face him again. Especially not as my nemesis.
I groaned and flopped back on my own bed, wallowing in my emotions. I hate life. Why can't I sit in my room 24/7 and binge Netflix?
I fell asleep, not even bothering to draw the covers over my body.
In the morning, I got up, my throat on fire, and my head pounding like I have a hangover.
Even though I feel like crap, I'm excited for any opportunity when I get out of school.
"Hey S, are you ok?" Dylan poked his head in. I glared at him with my red-rimmed eyes and stuffy nose. "Oh, ok. Obviously not ok."
"I'll tell everyone you're home sick today, alright?" He added, looking at me with a cautious look on his face. "Are you feeling horrible?
"Dylan." I mumbled my voice muffled by the pillow atop my head. "Do I look like I'm feeling well?"
"Well, if you asked me, you don't look too different. Bitchy, sleep deprived, annoyed-"
I cut him off. "Get out."
"Sure. See you later." He leaft, striding past my door.
I stayed in bed for the rest of the day, cursing mankind for giving me these sicknesses and binging Friends on Netflix.
I'm in the bathroom, brushing my hair, when I heard the door unlock. "Siena?"
My throat hurt too much to speak, so I stepped out of the bathroom and walk into the kitchen.
"Hey!" He began. I raised a finger and cut him off. "Cat got your tongue?" He smirked.
I glared at him then grabbed my phone, swiping my finger across the screen and sending a text to him.
He read it aloud. "No idiot, I lost my voice."
"Nice to see you haven't lost your way of being annoying even while you're sick, he exclaimed, setting the phone on the counter. "I knew nothing was going to stop you." He chuckled, setting the sugar on the counter and picking up the coffee pot.
I typed. You're a coffee addict. How was school?
His phones chimed with the notification, and he glanced at it, reading it right off the lock screen. "Pretty good," he answered. "I didn't see Emma today, so it kinda sucked." His face fell when he mentions this, his ocean eyes dimming.
I typed quickly. You're in deep lover boy.
He glanced at the text. "Shut up." I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Anyway, that's all that happened. Oh, and I got your assignments for you." He hands over a thick stack of papers, and I inwardly groaned at the sight of them. "Sorry. They seemed to want to pile it on today."
Just my luck. The one time I'm not in school, everything happens, yet when I am there, nothing does.
I rubbed my temples with my hands, a habit I seem to be forming under stress these days. Dylan looked at me sympathetically. "Do you need anything? An ice pack?"
I shook my head no, and I picked up my phone to send another text to him, when a knock sounded at the door.
"Were you expecting someone?" He asked me. I shake my head no, and he frowned. "Neither was I. I'll go see who it is." He strode over to the door, his long legs eating up the floor.
I picked my phone up and fiddled with it, walking out into the living room as I do so. I spared a glance, and I nearly dropped my phone in surprise.
It's Alex. I haven't seen him in a year.
"Siena."
"Alex." I said, only a whisper, but my throat burns at even the slightest abrasion.
He's there. As handsome as ever. More built, his almond shaped eyes are crinkled in a smile. He looks so much like his mother, who hails from Korea.
He smiled at me from the doorway. "Hey." He managed to speak. "How's it going?"
Dylan, who's been standing there the entire time, but in at this moment. "She's sick. Lost her voice. The whole day has been blissful." He explained, smirking at me.
I glared at him in retaliation. Alex chuckles. "Glad to see not much has changed since I left."
"Hey, come sit." Dylan gestured to the couch, leading Alex over to it.
I sat silently on the futon across from them. I noticed my temper rising, and I closed my fists into tight fists as they chatted. How can they act as if nothing happened? The way Alex left us? The way he just broke our friendship.
You, reader, judging by the amount of cliché books you have probably read, might think I harbor some kind of feelings for Alex, there's going to be a love triangle between me, him, and Nick. Sorry to disappoint. Not going to happen. Even though Alex is handsome, I'm not into him anymore. I wasn't even sad when we broke up. I didn't care. I suppose that shows how wrong we were wrong for each other. No, what pissed me off was when he left. I always the breakup was a mutual thing. I don't see why would couldn't have remained friends. The one thing no one ever tells you about mortals, we ALWAYS stick to our morals. They be horrible, but once we find a moral we agree with, we will not break them, for anything.
And mine is sticking to your promises. I may hate Warrior, yet I'm not going to betray him. I made a promise, and I intend to see it carried out. To quote High School Musical (which Dylan made me watch, and surprisingly, I enjoyed) promises are a hefty word. I can't throw it around casually. So how could Alex, after we promised we would stay friends forever, break it. I'm not talking about a spur-of-the-moment idealistic idea from when were 5 and had no idea of the real world. This promise we made the first day of junior year, and we knew, this moment, this wasn't going to change. Making promises when you're a teenager, even one of this caliber, don't make them any less real. And he broke it when he moved. He never even gave me a reason, so I was left wondering what happened to one of my best friends. Dylan knew, and he wouldn't tell me. But I didn't blame him (much). It was Alex's job to tell me. He was the one leaving.
I choked out, "You left."
They stopped talking and look at me. Alex's countenance formed a guilty look. "Siena-"
"No, Alex, just shut the hell up!" I yelled. My throat felt like it's burning in the depths of hell, but I don't care. I had to get my feelings out. "You left us. I know the breakup hurt, but it didn't matter. We had been best friends for nearly twelve years. And we made a promise. You broke that promise."
"Hey, S-" Dylan started. I jabbed a finger in his direction. "No! You shut up too!"
"Alex." I started once again, seething. "I don't understand. I want a reason. I can't forgive you without one. I want to know. I need to." I pleaded.
"Siena, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."
"Why not!" I shrieked. "I was your best friend. I still am, even if you left."
"I can't Siena." He said, looking downcast.
"Look, when you we said we'd be friends forever, you threw in the word promise. Promise. You know how much that word means to me, and why. You know what happened to me as a kid."
He looked ashamed. "I know. I keep telling you I'm sorry. I can't tell you!"
"Fine. Whatever. But don't expect sunshine from me until I get a solid reason why you left."
"Yeah, because you're the poster child for rainbows and unicorns, right?" Alex shot back.
"You're so annoying!" I grumbled, crossing my arms.
"You're acting like a little child," Dylan reprimanded me. I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry Dad. And don't pretend you don't know what's going on right now! I know you know."
"Whoa, S, calm down." His eyes widened at my tone.
I huffed in exasperation, and threw my hands up. "Just leave me alone. If you want to find me, I'll be in my room."
I stalked away. But let me explain why this thing pisses me off so much.
I know many of you may be thinking right now, she's stupid and childish! Get over it! You were 16! And we all know from Disney 16 years old don't always tend to make the best of decisions. But you don't understand why this means so much.
Let's take a trip to the past in a DeLorean. We'll need a flux capacitor.
When I was little, my parents were both busy people being high-end doctors and crap. Promises were made and broken every day in my family. The thing is, I always took the word promise, as a binding oath. Like an Unbreakable Vow, or swearing on the River Styx.
My parents didn't see it the same way. Day after day, I would be promised little things. Time to go to the park with my dad. To the library with my mom. Having a family day at an amusement park. And they broke them day after day. I wanted to spend time with my parents. I hardly got to see them anyways. I like them well enough and everything, but whenever I'd remind them about something, they'd come up with a lame excuse.
The only person who kept hers was Alessia. After seeing me get turned down by my parents all the time, she would make other promises to cheer me up. We'd have a Harry Potter movie marathon. We'd read together. We'd go shopping for fandom merch. Whenever I asked her, no matter she was doing at the time, she'd drop it and come with me.
One moment in particular stands out. I was only eight, but even then I wasn't one for dresses and frills.
I was standing in the doorway of my Alessia's room, fiddling with my fingers. On my head, I had a baseball hat, and I held a book under my arm.
She looked up and askeded me what was wrong. I responded telling her, she had promised last week we would begin reading one my favorites now, The Little Prince.
Her face fell, and she looked dejected. She looked down on her keyboard. I remembered her telling us she had a huge audition in a few days and she needed to spend a ton of time on her piece. I realized she was working on that now, and I was slightly sad. But I saw, she had kept her promise to me infinitely more times than my parents. However, this was her passion at the time. To play piano. She couldn't always. And she was truly feeling bad about it.
I told her it was ok, and I walked away. She, however, called out to me. I turned around, and there she was, standing behind me, clutching her book in her hands.
I smiled, and threw my arms around her, ecstatic. She got her practice done, but she had to stay up incredibly late into the night because she always took out 1 hour every night to read with me. She was my lifeline. A piano virtuoso who preferred her sister over anything else.
Don't get me wrong, we still fight like any other pair of siblings. However, Alessia was the member of my family who I was the closest with. I still haven't forgiven my parents for being somewhat absentee. I know I don't trust many people. People lie and break promises and let you down.
Ever since them, promises and trust have been regarded with caution. But I had known these guys for so long, I thought they would keep them. I thought they knew what they were like. Now you understand why this hurts so much. If you still think I'm immature, then fine. I don't care. I explained to you.
Anyways, I was in my room, stewing over this, when Dylan appeared in the doorway. Seeing it even slightly blocked made me feel a tad bit uncomfortable, so I get up and open the windows in my room. I hope I could be cured soon. I had to.
I looked at him, mollified, but still upset. "What Dyl?"
He sat on the bed next to me. "Siena, Alex left. He said to give him a call. He wants to hang out with us more."
I laughed dryly. "Then he shouldn't have left."
Dylan got up and runs his hands through his hair in frustration, messing it up. "Goddamn it Siena! He had to leave! It was his own choice! Can't you see that? Did you know he got into Juilliard? That's hard. You sister was accepted, and even she didn't choose to go. So please, lay off the guy!" He was breathing hard, his red face showing through even his tan.
I picked at the lint on my comforter. "I'm sorry."
He flopped down and sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."
I granted him a small smile. "Dylan, you know why I can't forgive him right now."
He nodded. "I understand. I just wish you'd find it in that hollow head of yours to take some steps towards it." He rapped on my head and mimes a hollow knocking sound.
I swatted his hands away. "Dylan, why did he leave?" I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.
He pulled an arm around my shoulder, and tingles flooded every inch of my body. "I wish I could tell you, but it's not my place."
"Why can't you tell me? Can you tell me if it's about me?" I murmured, lifting my head off his shoulder to stare straight in those mesmerizing pools.
He didn't said anything, but I realize it is about me. "Was it about the breakup? Because it was mutual."
His eyes widened. "No, no. Well, maybe. But not mostly."
I groaned. "You're not making much sense here."
"Yeah, I got that." He agreed. "Why don't we call it quits, and good night?"
"It's only 5 in the afternoon!" (A/N: Nine in the Afternoon. Hahaha. Anyone get it? No. Ok. I'll shut up now.)
"Yeah, but you're sick." He rubbed his hand down my arm, and the tingles intensify.
"I'm not awfully sick. I just wanted to stay home from school today." I choked out, but my hacking cough at the end does nothing to support my argument.
"Go to bed." He encouraged.
"Fine." I conceded. I pulled the covers up to my chin and already felt myself being to doze off.
"Night Dyl."
"Night Siena."
..............................................................................................................................
I woke up that night in an empty warehouse.
What? How the hell did I get here?
I picked myself off the floor, and my arms throbbed with pain. I shook as I stood and surveyed my surroundings.
It seems to be your standard warehouse, metal walls and door, with wide windows. It's pitch black, and abandoned, save for a lone light bulb lit on the ceiling directly above me.
I took a step and stumbled, every inch of my body aching with pain. I nearly collapsed, and threw my hands out to catch me, to be safe. However, I didn't plummet, and when I lurched my hands out in front of me, I got to take a look at them.
They're caked with dirt, underneath my fingernails, dark brown soil embedded deep in my cuticles. They're beat up and bleeding, long lines of blood scratched across the palm of my hand.
What happened? Did I sleepwalk again?
I used to sleepwalk as kid, but I've grown out of it. I haven't done it in years. And I never walked this far. To the kitchen max. Because even asleep, I want food.
I glanced around and saw that I was in a relatively small warehouse. Small. The windows aren't open. I felt the walls closing in on me. They're pressing, compacting.
I couldn't breath. My chest felt like a sumo wrestler is sitting on top of it. Wait. Take one second and look again.
I looked around once more for a way out, and spotted an open door. I sighed in relief. Thank the gods. Walking over to it and stepping outside, I found myself near the edge of the city. I knew how to get back home from here. I closed my eyes, and I teleport.
But when I opened my eyes, I'm still standing in front of the warehouse.
"Great." I grumbled. Just because I have superpowers doesn't mean I can't get tired. If I don't rest well and eat well, my powers don't work. But I stayed in bed the entire day, and I ate tons of food. Which means there's only one other reason they aren't working.
I exhausted them. But doing what?
I decided if I'm too exhausted to use my powers, there's not way I can think about this now. I need my sleep. Thankfully, I always keep a twenty stashed on my body at all times, and since I didn't change out of the clothes I woke up in, me being too tired and all, I have a twenty in the jeans pocket.
I hailed a taxi and get back to my apartment.
Once I'm standing in front of the door, I realized I have nothing on me besides the money. No phone, no keys, no nothing.
I knocked. Loudly. It takes a few knocks before Dylan comes to the door, but when he opened the door, I rush in, begging to get out of the freezing cold in the hallway.
"Siena? What the hell? Were you outside?" His bedhead makes him way more attractive than usual.
"No." I answered. "Go back to sleep."
"Siena, why do I not believe you? Oh, wait, it's because you were out in NYC at 3 A.M." He yawned, running a hand through his already thoroughly messed up hair.
"Dylan, please leave it. It's not a big deal." I begged, looking down at my slippers.
"Yeah, ok. I'll forget." He said sarcastically.
"Dylan, I was sleepwalking." I explained. He doesn't look too convinced.
"This far?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe the medicine is exemplifying it."
"Siena."
"Look, can we talk in the morning. It's 3:32 A.M. and I'm exhausted. Please. I need some sleep."
"Fine." He gave in, but I can see he's not too happy about it."
I waited until he headed back into his room and shut the door. Flopping down on the couch in exhaustion, I closed my eyes, and immediately plunged back into darkness.
■ □ ■ □ ■ □
Hello my cookies fam! Have you noticed this chapter's quite possibly the longest one in this book? I realized, I want to write longer chapter for you guys, wit more content. So, instead of the chapters being 2000+ words on average, they'll be 3000+ words on average. More stuff to read, yay! Did you like this chapter? What could possibly be going on with Siena?
DO NOT TELL ME SIENA'S REASONING IS CHILDISH. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH TRUST ISSUES IMPLEMENTED BY PARENTS THEMSELVES AND YOUR COMMENTS ON THE TOPIC WILL NOT BE APPRECIATED.
On a side note, I know many of you are completely reasonable and would not go through that. You can kinda think of Siena as a mix of a present day Katniss Everdeen, and oddly, me. I see a lot of myself in her. But she is NOT me. I don't have superpowers and a hot best friend who's a guy. Believe me, I wish.
*stares out window for hot guys*
*gets package of books instead*
*it must be true love*
*Signs off YouTube*
Don't forget to vote, comment, and hit that recommend button! Please tell me about the spelling and grammar mistakes!
Love from a companion of the Doctor!
~Vi